Evaluation of Color Tenebrio molitor Larvae by Different Methods of Dehydration

Abstract

The use of insects, as food presents two important technological challenges: how to transform insects in safe, healthy and tasty food and how to produce insect efficient and sustainable way to meet the growing market demand. The assessment of quality of dehydrated food must be analyzed to ensure the quality of the final product. Thus the color analysis, the first attribute judged by the consumer becomes an important tool to cause, measure, analyze and interpret reactions produced directly the characteristics of the product and how they are perceived. Dehydrated insects as well as more nutritious than other types of meat, take up less space and have a high shelf life. Given this fact, the objective was to make a comparative assessment of the Tenebrio molitor larvae color dehydrated in conventional microwave oven and tray dryer with forced ventilation. The results obtained, it was observed that dehydration done in conventional microwave provided a minor change from the original coloration of the Tenebrio molitor larvae, where as the dehydration in tray drier with forced ventilation presented undesirable browning. Evaluation of Color Tenebrio molitor Larvae by Different Methods of Dehydration